Former Liverpool star Michael Owen has suggested Everton break into the Premier League top six this season at the expense of Chelsea. Everton lost 2-1 to Merseyside rivals Liverpool on Sunday in the first-ever derby at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
It looked like the match would be a 1-1 draw, but Reds captain Virgil van Dijk scored a dramatic winning goal in the 100th minute, much to the delight of the red Merseyside side. Still, Owen believes David Moyes’ side have done enough to secure a top-six finish this season.
Manchester United’s 1-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday night was a boost to Everton’s cause, but it was a body blow to manager Liam Rosenior’s hopes of leading the Blues to next season’s Champions League. Finishing in the top six was a monumental achievement for the Toffees, their best finish in the top flight since the 2013/2014 season when they finished fifth with 72 points.
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Former England striker Owen also believes Manchester City’s decisive victory over Arsenal on Sunday has changed the situation in manager Josep Guardiola’s favor as to who will win this season’s Premier League title.
Owen, a former Real Madrid striker who is now the head of Casino.org, the leading platform helping players find UK casino brands, exclusively told Mirror Football: “Well, I would have to say Man City are only marginal favorites now, so I would probably say Man City, Arsenal, Manchester United, Aston Villa and Liverpool.”
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“I think Everton can still make a push. Chelsea still have some difficult games left and everything is not going well for Chelsea at the moment. So I have a good feeling about Everton. Maybe Everton will make a push.”
Liverpool’s victory in all of Merseyside leaves the Reds in fifth place, seven points behind Chelsea, and means they will be the favorites to qualify for next season’s Champions League. Owen believes the win was as crucial as any other season for the Reds, with Chelsea and Everton having previously strangled Arne Slott’s side.
David Moyes and Everton are expected to finish the season on a high note (Image: Getty Images)
“I think this is a big result,” Owen said of the Merseyside derby. “Not only that result, but also the results of the last few weeks at Liverpool.
“This seven-point cushion means Liverpool have got Villa, Chelsea and Man United, so there will be some tough games ahead. “If yesterday’s result had gone the other way, Everton would be two points ahead of us in the coming games.
“It would have been a very nerve-wracking end to the season, but seven points is a nice cushion. Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t turn a bad season into a good season (for Liverpool), but at least it means Champions League football, because we all know what that means.
“If you don’t have that money coming in, you start to fall behind and as we’ve seen with other clubs, that can be difficult.”
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